Giants
Giants also known as Stone-giants, and Mountain-giants were a mysterious race that lived in the mountains of Middle-earth. History The origins of Giants is unknown as is the exact time they began appearing in the Middle-earth; however, but it seemed that they entered the history of the peoples of Middle-earth in the Third Age. Mountain Giants In the Hobbit In The Hobbit, they are described as hurling rocks at one another as in a game, during a violent thunderstorm. Bilbo, Gandalf, and the thirteen Dwarves, if they actually saw them, were the only ones Tolkien mentioned as ever having seen them. Their physical form was not explained, nor was much else about them, and the entire passage indicates that the Giants may have been a metaphor for violent lightning strikes and their resultant thunder. These Giants inhabited the Misty Mountains. It is never stated whether they occurred elsewhere. In The Hobbit, Thorin and Company encounter a "storm-giant" thunderstorm in their trek through the Misty Mountains. The Giants are not in allegiance with the Goblins, however, and do not necessarily appear evil, although they seem far capable of it and very powerful. In The Lord of the Rings Gandalf later remarked that he would like to find 'a more or less decent giant' to block several of the orc caves. Giants were only witnessed by Bilbo and the thirteen dwarves who were passing that way, and this information could only be found in the Red Book of Westmarch. Giants were also mentioned in passing at the beginning of chapter 3 of The Fellowship of the Ring. Earlier versions Two Giants were given names in Tolkien's earlier Book of Lost Tales Part 2: Gilim and Nan. Portrayal in Adaptations The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey Giants appear in the Peter Jackson film These stone giants were depicted as fighting each other as well as throwing rocks. They appeared as hewn from stone, over 100 feet tall, and indistinguishable from a cliff-face when still. Video games The Hobbit video game In the video game, they are represented as humanoid creatures made out of stone, who throw stones at Bilbo and unwittingly help him escape. The Lord of the Rings: The Battle for Middle-earth II They appear in Battle for Middle-earth II, as the Goblins can recruit them. They seem to have a reddish tinge to them and throw the largest boulders in the game, being the ultimate Goblin long-range siege engines. Though normally content in their dangerous pursuits (though only dangerous to non-Mountain Giants) and often neutral towards other species, a few had an unusual alliance with the Goblin king Gorkil, who promised them more interesting 'targets' for the boulders which they hurled. The Lord of the Rings: The Battle for Middle-earth II: The Rise of the Witch-king Also, Angmar convinces other Mountain giants to fight for them, possibly suggested or arranged by Rogash. These can be summoned by Thrall Masters in specific missions and by their respective Tier 3 power (calls two Giants). Lord of the Rings: War in the North They also appear in the video game, where the three heroes must kill one named Bargrisar, who was corrupted by Agandaûr. It is said that they aren't aggressive towards the inhabitants of Middle-Earth, with the exception of Bargrisar. Behind the scenes Tolkien's giants were probably based on the Jotun of Norse mythology which are similar in strength and bestial. Gallery Image:Mountaingiant.jpg|A Mountain Giant holding a big boulder to throw Image:Mountain Giants.jpg|Mountain Giants in rage. Mountain Giants attack the Dúnedain and the Shire Image:Giant.jpg|A Mountain Giant engages a dwarven guardian battalion Image:Untitled.png|Mountain Giant on top of a gate sg.jpg|Bargrisar the Stone-Giant References *''The Hobbit'' *''The Lord of the Rings'' *''Book of Lost Tales Part 2'' External link * Category:Races Category:Giants